The Bohemian Waxwing is the larger, grayer, more northern relative of the familiar Cedar Waxwing, and it visits Michigan only in winter — sometimes not at all. Sleek and crested like its cousin but bigger and grayer, it is distinguished by rich rusty (cinnamon) undertail coverts, bolder white and yellow markings in the black wings, and a heftier build. Flocks are tight and highly nomadic, descending on fruiting trees with high, trilling, buzzy calls and stripping them of berries before moving on.
True to its name — "Bohemian" evoking a wandering, gypsy-like life — this waxwing roams the boreal forest and beyond in winter in search of fruit, and its appearances in Michigan are irruptive and unpredictable, tied to berry crops to the north. In invasion years, large flocks descend on crabapples, mountain-ash, and other fruiting trees in towns and along edges, often mixing with Cedar Waxwings and American Robins. Picking the bigger, grayer, rusty-vented Bohemians out of such a flock is a coveted winter find.
Feeds overwhelmingly on fruit and berries in winter — crabapples, mountain-ash, juniper, and other persistent fruit — moving nomadically from one fruiting tree to the next in tight flocks, and takes insects during the northern breeding season. It can consume large quantities of berries in a short time.
The Bohemian Waxwing is larger and grayer, with rusty (cinnamon) undertail coverts and bolder white and yellow wing markings. The Cedar Waxwing is smaller, browner, with a pale yellow belly and white (not rusty) undertail coverts.
Only in winter, and only in irruption years, when northern berry crops fail and flocks wander south. In some winters large flocks appear; in others the species is essentially absent.
Fruiting trees and shrubs — crabapples, mountain-ash, juniper, and similar — which flocks strip of berries before moving on. They often mix with Cedar Waxwings and American Robins at such trees.
Juveniles are streaked gray below with a weak mask and often no waxy red wingtips at all. They usually molt into adult-like plumage before reaching Michigan, so streaked birds here are uncommon.
Birders say flock; the old collective term is a museum of waxwings, which is folklore rather than usage. Bohemian Waxwing flocks descend on fruiting trees, strip them, and move on within days.
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